“Thank you for your indulgence. It is doubly appreciated at a time of sorrow like this.” Elizabeth felt tears prick her eyes when he alluded to Janey’s pending death. “It may be selfish of me, but I wanted to make sure I say what I omitted to say when we spoke at Haye Park,” Darcy explained. The way she cocked her head and arched an eyebrow pulled him to her, but he restrained himself. “I never apologised for the unconscionable words I said within your hearing at the assembly.”
“It is not needed, Mr Darcy. Ever since I have come to know you somewhat, I have understood your regret over your intemperate words, and as we have discussed, they were not aimed at me,” Elizabeth replied.
“My honour demands no less than a direct and personally delivered apology. Hence, Miss Elizabeth, I beg your pardon for the insulting words I dared to utter at the assembly past, which were the farthest thing from the truth. Even though the words were not directed at you, not only were they rude and out of line, but were patently false. Your looks lack for nothing and that same night, I learnt why you and others sit out. I throw myself on your mercy.”
“If it makes you feel better, you are pardoned without any reservations,” Elizabeth granted. “Now if you will excuse me, I must return to my sister’s side.”
“If you would, allow Bingley the time he needs,” Darcy suggested. “May I ask why you do not follow Mr Jones’s advice and have a rest and try to close your eyes for a while?”
“Jane will soon begin her eternal slumber; I will consider resting once Janey no longer needs me.”
Darcy bowed to Miss Elizabeth and said not another word on the subject.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bingley had to school his features when he saw Miss Bennet propped up by the pillows in her bed. The covers were pulled to just below her neck. He quickly learnt he had not disguise the look on his face fast enough.
“Do I…look so…very bad?” Jane teased.
“You will always be an angel to me.” Bingley paused. “Please allow me to beg your pardon for the behaviour and actions of my younger sister which, I am sure, made your illness worse.”
“I do not…hold you…responsible…for the…actions of…another,” Jane insisted.
He went down onto one knee next to the bed and took the hand closest to him on his own. It was warm and clammy, but Bingley cared not. “Miss Bennet, I find that I have fallen deeply in love with you, and with your permission, I would like to do now what I would have soon enough had you not been taken ill.” She nodded her agreement. “Jane Bennet, you will own a piece of my heart for eternity, and I will never forget you. Had I asked under different circumstances, would you have agreed to be my wife?”
“Yes, Charles, yes…I most certainly…would have…said yes,” Jane declared.
“In that case, will you now agree to become engaged to me?” Bingley requested. All Jane could do was nod weakly.
Bingley stood and with her permission, he bussed her lips with his own. Jane closed her eyes to savour the brief sensation. ‘At least I will not leave the mortal world not having been loved or kissed by a man I adore,’ Jane thought.
The hacking cough began again. With a tear in his eye, Bingley stood back. “Goodbye, my one and only angel,” he managed before Miss Elizabeth and the maid rushed back into the chamber.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
That night, sensing she would not see another, Jane refused the sleeping draft as her fever began to climb once again. “Lizzy,” Jane croaked before the fever made her insensible.
With tears in her eyes, Elizabeth looked at her sister. “Yes, Janey.”
“Need your…promise,” Jane forced out.
“Anything for you, Janey,” Elizabeth replied as the tears fell faster.
“Swear…to me…you will…live…after…I am…gone.”
“I will not harm myself?”
“Not that… Do not…close your…heart…to love! Live! Now…vow.”
Elizabeth would have been lying had she said she was surprised Jane was worrying about her when her own life was ebbing away. “After I have mourned you, I give you my word, Janey, I will be open to love again.”
“Not…mourn…me for…ever, less…than one…year. Swear!”
“You have my word of honour,” Elizabeth promised. At least Jane had not made her promise she would not be angry at those who caused the fast approaching tragedy.
Jane closed her eyes as her fever began to rage again, and the more it did, the harder it seemed to be for Jane to breathe. Just before midnight the Gardiners came and said their final goodbyes. Not long after the day became the eighteenth of October, Jones sent the maid from the room, and then he slipped out. There was nothing more he could do, and he wanted Miss Lizzy to be alone with her beloved sister at the end.
There was no missing Janey’s laboured breaths were getting further and further apart. Elizabeth leaned forward and kissed Jane’s burning forehead. “You do not need to holdon for me any longer. It is time for your suffering to end, go be with God,” Elizabeth managed to say aloud as the tears ran from her eyes in rivers.
